Where are inequalities produced? Comparing the variations of graduate employment between the UK’s districts and universities

Abstract This study presents the first set of estimates of inequalities in high-status employment between UK districts and universities. Making use of graduate data from the Higher Education Statistics Agency, this study compares how graduates’ employment and social mobility vary based on their place of origin and the university attended. Inequality and social mobility are measured by the chance of entering a higher professional occupation 15 months after graduation. The results showed that the occupation inequalities between universities were much larger than those between local authority districts, indicating that our higher education system is evidently (re)producing an even greater amount of inequality than spatial disparities. These findings contribute to the emerging academic and policy narrative regarding the social and geographic inequalities in the UK, addressing the inequalities in graduate employment across universities may be crucial in meeting the demands of the labor market and driving upward mobility throughout the country.